The gleef init command sets up Gleef in your project by guiding you through the configuration process and creating the necessary configuration file.

​
Usage

gleef init

​
What it does

The init command performs several important setup tasks:
  1. Prompts for locale file patterns using placeholder syntax (e.g., {locale}, {feature})
  2. Validates your file patterns by attempting to load locale files
  3. Fetches company locales from your Gleef account
  4. Maps file/folder names to company locales when needed
  5. Creates configuration in .gleef/config.json with proper format options
  6. Sets up custom locale mappings when file names don’t match standard locale codes

​
Placeholder Patterns

The command uses placeholder syntax to define file patterns:
  • {locale} - Required placeholder for the locale identifier
  • {feature} or {namespace} - Optional placeholders for organizing translations

​
Supported File Formats

Gleef supports these localization file formats:
  • .json - JSON localization files
  • .xml - XML localization files
  • .yaml / .yml - YAML localization files
  • .strings - iOS strings files

​
Pattern Examples

PatternMatchesUse Case
src/locales/{locale}.jsonsrc/locales/en.json, src/locales/fr.jsonSimple locale files
public/i18n/{locale}/{feature}.jsonpublic/i18n/en/common.json, public/i18n/fr/auth.jsonNamespaced translations
locales/{feature}.{locale}.jsonlocales/common.en.json, locales/auth.fr.jsonFeature-first organization

​
Interactive Setup Process

​
Step 1: Enter Locale File Pattern

$ gleef init

    ___ _     _____ _____ _____ 
  / ___| |   | ____| ____|  ___|
 | |  _| |   |  _| |  _| | |_   
 | |_| | |___| |___| |___|  _|  
  \____|_____|_____|_____|_|    

Welcome to the Gleef configuration assistant
You will need your locale files path to continue, using the {locale} placeholder.

? What's your locale files path? › src/locales/{locale}.json

​
Step 2: Locale Mapping (if needed)

If your file/folder names don’t match your company locales: 
? Please assign one of your configured locale to this file/folder: en
  fr-FR
  en-US
  es-ES
❯ Skip

​
Step 3: Success

✔ One pattern added successfully. You can add more in your config file.
src/locales/{locale}.json
Run `gleef translate` to start translating
To customize nested/flat output per format, edit the formatOptions in .gleef/config.json

​
Generated Configuration

After running init, you’ll find a .gleef/config.json file in your project: 
{
  "localeFilePatterns": [
    "src/locales/{locale}.json"
  ],
  "formatOptions": {
    "json": {
      "nested": true
    }
  },
  "customLocaleNames": {
    "fr-FR": "french",
    "de-DE": "german"
  }
}

​
Configuration Properties

PropertyDescription
localeFilePatternsPlaceholder patterns matching your localization files using {locale} syntax
formatOptionsOutput format settings for each file type (auto-detected based on your patterns)
customLocaleNamesMaps company locale codes to your file/folder names when they don’t match

​
Configuration Examples by Technology

{
  "localeFilePatterns": [
    "public/locales/{locale}.json",
    "src/locales/{locale}/{feature}.json"
  ],
  "formatOptions": {
    "json": {
      "nested": true
    }
  }
}

​
Complex Project Structures

​
Monorepo with Multiple Apps

{
  "localeFilePatterns": [
    "apps/web/src/locales/{locale}.json",
    "apps/mobile/src/i18n/{locale}.json",
    "packages/shared/locales/{locale}/{feature}.json"
  ],
  "formatOptions": {
    "json": {
      "nested": true
    }
  }
}

​
Legacy Project with Custom Names

{
  "localeFilePatterns": [
    "assets/translations/{locale}.json"
  ],
  "formatOptions": {
    "json": {
      "nested": false
    }
  },
  "customLocaleNames": {
    "en-US": "english",
    "fr-FR": "french",
    "es-ES": "spanish",
    "zh-CN": "chinese-simplified"
  }
}

​
Troubleshooting

​
Pattern Validation Errors

If the pattern validation fails:
⚠ No locale files found with this path Please correct your path, check the documentation or contact Gleef for help.
Common issues:
  1. Missing {locale} placeholder - All patterns must include {locale}
  2. Incorrect file paths - Verify the files exist at the specified location
  3. Wrong file extensions - Ensure files use .json, .xml, .yaml, or .strings
  4. Path syntax errors - Use forward slashes / in patterns

​
Locale Mapping Issues

If your file/folder names don’t match company locales:
  1. Use the interactive mapping - The init command will prompt you to map each unmatched locale
  2. Skip unmapped locales - Choose “Skip” for locales you don’t want to include
  3. Update company locales - Add missing locales in Gleef Studio if needed

​
Manual Configuration

If you need to skip the interactive setup: 
{
  "localeFilePatterns": [
    "your/custom/{locale}.json"
  ],
  "customLocaleNames": {
    "en-US": "english",
    "fr-FR": "french"
  },
  "formatOptions": {
    "json": {
      "nested": true
    }
  }
}

​
Best Practices

Always use the {locale} placeholder in your file patterns for proper locale detection.
  1. Use descriptive patterns - Include folder structure in patterns: src/i18n/{locale}/{feature}.json
  2. Test your patterns - Verify patterns match existing files before running init
  3. Plan for namespaces - Consider using {feature} placeholders for organized translations
  4. Review generated config - Check .gleef/config.json matches your expectations
  5. Commit configuration - Add .gleef/config.json to version control

​
Next Steps

After initialization:

Start Translating

Send your translation keys to Gleef for AI processing

Configuration Reference

Learn about all configuration options and advanced patterns